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Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Boris Johnson says "the choice is clear"

The Mayoral election on Thursday comes when we have been going through the toughest times that anyone can remember. The big question is therefore blindingly simple - who has the best plan for the jobs and growth that will help bring prosperity to all?

It is about who will deliver the investment from central government that will take London forward. It is about who you can trust to spend that money wisely – and who will be honest with you about where the money is coming from, and how it is spent.

Boris' says his 9 point plan is right for the future of the greatest city on earth. It secures Greater London's future by cutting waste at City Hall, reducing council tax, creating 200,000 new jobs, protecting green space, investing in transport, cutting tube delays and ensuring a true Olympic legacy. Saying "my ambition is to make London ever safer, greener, cleaner and more attractive to live, work and invest in".

By managing our budgets responsibly, Boris has "abandoned the grandiose and wasteful approach of the previous mayor". This has allowed "me to keep my promises to London over the last four years":

I have put1,000 more police on the streetsand now we are taking officers out of backroom jobs – putting2,000 officers in Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

I have delivered a24 hour Freedom Pass– and we will now make sure that everyone gets it as soon as they turn 60, and we will negotiate to put it on overground rail as well.

Igot rid of the Western Extension Zone of the Congestion Charge, because it was imposed in defiance of people’s wishes.

Ibanned alcohol on public transportand put another697 uniformed officers on the buses and Tube.

I havegot rid of the bendy busandintroduced a new Routemaster-style bus for London, built in Britain, creating jobs in this country, the cleanest new bus in Europe – and each of them costs no more than a current hybrid bus.

I havesaved billions in unnecessary expense at TFL, disposed of 23 buildings and 25% of the directors. I have sold two police flats and cut bonuses across the board.

And it is this relentless efficiency with your money that has allowed me tofreeze the Mayoral share of council tax for four years. Now I am promising to cut it by 10%.

The choice is clear this Thursday. It is between a Mayor who invests in our future or the irresponsible and unfunded proposals from Ken Livingstone that would put that investment at risk. Boris says he is "best placed to get the funds our city will need". Boris does have a track record of using public money well and not waste it on schemes of no economic benefit to London.

Ken Livingstone has been accused of being divisive and to use Diane Abbott's words he's a white man indulging in "divide and rule politics". Now Ms Abbott wasn't referring to just Ken Livingstone, she was indulging in a fatuous , sweeping and some would say racist generalisation. However the words do apply to Ken - playing off the Jewish community against the Muslim community, insulting the gay community and the Irish community.

Boris says "I want to unite London – not try to divide one group from another. I want to take London forwards – not back to the 1970s. I believe I am best placed to lead London out of recession, to get real and lasting value from the Olympics, and to lengthen our lead as the greatest city on earth".